Original Legal Documents

While most bills are available online and it’s perfectly safe to discard them (just shred them first), certain legal documents should never go in the trash, according to habitability attorney Brooke Soliz Bremmer of Sweet James Accident Attorneys.

This includes the deed to your house. “It proves ownership of your property, and you will need it for future sales or disputes,” she says.

She also suggests keeping property titles, wills and trusts, power of attorney documents, marriage and divorce decrees, and birth and death certificates. “These documents may be required as legal proof, and getting rid of them could result in fraud or disputes,” explains Bremmer.

Financial Documents

Bremmer emphasizes the importance of keeping certain financial documents to prove identity—and warns that if they fall into the wrong hands, they could be used fraudulently.

These include social security cards, account statements, mortgage documents, and loan records.

If you have limited storage space, you can access most financial statements online. If you choose to discard old documents (like your mortgage statement from three years ago), shred them first to prevent identity theft.

Checks

While you probably aren’t writing checks too often these days, it’s still good to keep that old check book just in case of an emergency. 

And while it might be tempting to toss old checks you deposited through your phone’s app or a checkbook for a closed account, according to Bremmer, this can be a serious mistake. “Used or unused checks can be used for fraud if they fall into the wrong hands,” Bremmer says. So, don’t put yourself at risk for identity theft. 

Travel Documents

Most of us toss our boarding passes as soon as we leave the airport and discard travel itineraries when we return home. But Bremmer warns this is a bad idea: “They may contain personal data, including frequent flyer numbers.”

So, don’t discard those seemingly minor documents without shredding or concealing them in some way first. 

Employment Records and Pay Stubs

Bremmer tells me employment records and pay stubs might not seem that important in the short term, but these documents can be useful for tax audits, benefits claims, and identity verification.

While you can likely obtain old pay stubs through HR, it’s much easier to have them on hand in case of an emergency.

Mattresses

You might not think twice about leaving an old mattress out on the street, but Darrell Gardner, director of product development at CORT, warns against it. “They’re enormous,” he says. “They take up so much space in landfills and simply don’t decompose. Donation or recycling is the way to go.”

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) should never be tossed in the trash. “They’re full of heavy metals—and not the good kind. There are many great community programs for recycling these techy treasures,” reveals Garnder.

Not sure if your bulb is a CFL? Most CFLs have a spiral shape, but not all. So double check online before you dispose of your bulbs.

Paints and Varnishes

“These are a tricky lot,” Gardner says. “They’re filled with all sorts of chemicals that just don’t play nice with Mother Nature.”

Consider posting your empty paint or varnish can on your local buy nothing group to see if someone else can finish it up. Alternatively, Gardner tells me, “ Many cities have special donation sites or designated disposal days for these items.

Appliances

Gardner advises recycling large appliances like refrigerators, ovens, and washing machines whenever possible. “They’re full of metals and other materials that can be quite harmful in a landfill,” she says.

If you’re replacing an old appliance, check if the delivery company offers a haul-away recycling service.

Moldy Items

Mold is a serious health risk, so if you find an item with mold, never throw it directly in the trash, warns Michael Rubino, indoor air quality expert and founder of HomeCleanse.

“If porous items like books, clothing, food, or paper are moldy, throwing them away inside can release spores and other particles into your air,” he says. “Handle moldy items carefully by sealing them in a bag and taking them directly outside. Also, deep clean the surrounding space where the item was found.”